A new charity has been launched recently with a focus on preventing rural suicides and improving mental health support for people living and working in the countryside.

The Rural Communities Mental Health Foundation aims to reduce the number of suicides in rural areas.

The launch coincided with World Suicide Prevention Day (10 September), an international day aimed at raising awareness and preventing suicide.

The charity was co-founded by individuals from farming backgrounds whose families have been personally impacted by suicide.

Co-founders Kate Scott and Lewis Hunter, who each lost their brothers, Max and Robert, to suicide ten and five years ago respectively, saw the need for a charity focused on mental health awareness and suicide prevention.

Kate shared: "It’s our aim to help anyone struggling with their mental health realise they’re not alone and help and support is out there.

“We will deliver funded training to empower people to have more confident and informed conversations, focussing on free mental health first aid training sessions initially.

"We will also work to educate the next generations and normalise the conversation around mental health and suicide.”

Research shows that the suicide rate among male farm workers is three times higher than the national male average.

The three main obstacles preventing men from seeking help are stigma around mental health (18%), not knowing where to turn (15%), and lack of awareness about available support (15%).

Lewis Hunter, co-founder, said: "It’s our hope that the work the charity does will stop people reaching the same crisis point as Max and Robert, instead showing them that there’s hope”.

To meet its goals, the foundation plans to engage with everyone in the rural community, including farmers, farm workers, businesses such as machinery dealers and veterinary practices, and Young Farmers' Clubs.

It will promote collaboration among local and regional organisations and charities to improve mental health and suicide prevention in rural areas.

Initially, the charity will focus on supporting people in Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire, and Bedfordshire, with the potential to expand in the future.